Uniforms seen as bright spot in drab back-to-school season

When Robyn Asbell started kindergarten this month in Covington, Georgia, she had to wear a white collared shirt and a khaki jumper instead of her favorite pink sequin dress.

Asbell is among a growing number of U.S. school children who are required to wear a uniform. The trend is expected to gain steam as public school enrollment continues to set new records.

That has boosted prospects for uniform sales in the United States and made the category one of the few bright spots this back-to-school season when the National Retail Federation expects overall spending to fall 8 percent.

Uniforms were once required mostly by U.S. private and parochial schools. More public schools have begun to require them. Many school principals are advocating a uniform policy citing its positive impact on issues like peer pressure, classroom discipline, student safety and bullying.